Britain's low birth rate is being caused by a generation who would rather make money and have fun than have children, a survey has suggested.

A poll of just over a thousand adults for 'The Guardian' found that 64% of men and 51% of women believed that it was more important for women to enjoy themselves rather than have children.

According to the poll only 36% of women said that people should put having children ahead of having a career, while only 32% of men believed that women should children before work.

However, the poll also found that the majority of people - 79% - believed that the best age for a woman to give birth is under 30, even though 49% of children are now born to mothers over 30.

Career pressures were the biggest reason cited for making having children more difficult, with 63% blaming work pressures, while 54% said that the cost of raising children was a deterrent.

Social pressures were also a factor, with 48% saying that couples do not tend to stay together today as they did in the past, while 37% said that many people now left having children too late and missed their chance.

More than half the women surveyed - 53% - also said that it was more difficult now than ever for people to meet the right partner, with 46% of men also agreeing.

(KMcA)